I Promise
by SSEE729
Summary: After Sara goes through a tragic event one of her best friends steps in to help her get through everything. He promises her that everything will be okay and that he will always protect her, and a new kind of relationship begins to develop. Snickers
1. I'm Here For You

_**I don't own CSI or any of the characters. First Snickers fic, please review and tell me what you think! Set somewhere in season 4ish. Thanks!**_

Sara wiped yet another tear away from her eyes as she flashed back to events of the night before. She had gone out. Alone. Went to just get a bite to eat and a drink at the local bar. She was tried and didn't really feel like having to entertain, so she just went alone. She knew she could have easily called up one of her best friends, Nick, Greg, Catherine. Any one of them would have gone with her and she knew it. But she didn't and that was her fault. What happened was her fault. Had she only been a fraction of a socialite this never would have happened. She would have been protected by a friend. But no. She was alone. And it _did_ happen.

She told herself that even though it sounded cliché, it was true. It had happened so fast. One moment everything was fine. The next…

She just wanted so badly to turn back the clock. Go back in time and fix what happened to her. Every time she played it over in her head it was like she was watching a horror movie. One of those scenes where you scream at the person to turn around, to see the person behind them, to run. But they don't her you. And they don't.

If she had only looked around on her way out to her car, this all could have been prevented. But she had tunnel vision, just looked straight ahead, eager to get home after a long day at work.

She had exited the bar at around eleven that past night. She had a veggie burger and a beer about an hour before that, and then she simply waited a while before she went home. Walking to her car everything was fine. She had her keys in her hand, ready to go. She was about halfway there when it happened.

At first she had no idea what was going on. All of a sudden she felt someone grab her from behind. Struggle with her for a second before dragging her away. She screamed as loudly as she could with the man's hand covering her mouth, and she had tried to fight back. But he was too strong.

He had taken her to his truck. Threw her down on the back seat, lying on top of her to cease her struggles and to quiet her. It had only been a few minutes, but those few minutes felt like years, as he hastily removed her clothes, felt her, bruised her, hurt her. And then it was over. She couldn't remember if she had screamed the whole time, but she was pretty sure that she had. She _did_ know that she never stopped fighting back, and that had hurt even more. But she wasn't going to let him win. She wasn't going to succumb to him. That monster.

He had told her to be quiet, to shut the hell up, as he took advantage of her. He was mean, ugly, rough, and creepy. And then, after a few minutes, it was over.

He had simply thrown her out of his truck onto the ground, and drove away quickly saying something to her that she could not hear, as she lay on the cold, dingy, dirty, parking lot ground.

And then he was gone. It was over. It happened so fast, yet so slow at the same exact time. It wouldn't stop playing in her head over and over again, and no matter what she did, she saw his ugly face every time she closed her eyes.

Now she sat in the locker room after the shift she had just pulled. She wiped another tear away from her eye and sniffed once. Sure she could have stayed home from work that night, but she didn't want to. She didn't want to be alone. And to be honest with herself, she was scared. Scared that that man would show up again. Hurt her again. She had to come to work. She knew she would feel comforted by her friends, her family, there. She definitely wasn't ready to tell anyone yet, but just having her friends around her would make her feel better. And it did, at least for a while.

She closed her locker door and wiped one more tear away from her face. _Alright, suck it up Sara._ She told herself. _You've got to go out there now, and you have to look like every things fine. _She had allowed herself to cry when she returned to the locker room from that night's shift, but now she had to walk out to her car, and the risk of bumping into a friend or co-worker on the way out with blotchy red eyes was too high.

With one last sniff she vowed not to cry anymore, at least not until later. It was time to go home now. She started to head toward the door of the locker room to head out for the night, so absent mindedly, so focused on getting to her car without crying, so concentrated on appearing to be fine, that she almost collided with the person walking in.

"Oh hey there!" Nick said apologetically in his charming Texas drawl. He was giving off one of his killer smiles as he reached out to put one hand on Sara's shoulder as he passed her by. "Sorry, I didn't see you there Sar" He explained.

Sara displayed a weak smile across her face as well, and as hard as she tried not to, she flinched slightly when he touched her. Nick was her best friend. She knew he wasn't going to hurt her, but her body reacted involuntarily. Nick looked at her confused, cocked his head slightly, the worry clearly expressed through his caring eyes. Sara was thankful that her case that night had been a solo, otherwise, one of her team members would have definitely noticed something wrong. Nick definitely would have figured it out before the end of shift, and she really just wasn't ready to let anybody know yet.

She tried to make her smile as real as she possibly could, but she failed. Nick saw right through it. But then again, he was her best friend. He always knew when something was bothering her. This was going to be harder than she thought to conceal.

"That's alright, Nicky" She told him in a voice that quivered with uncertainty. She moved to continue walking out the door when Nick stopped her.

"Hey, are you alright?" Nick asked sincerely. He was genuinely worried for his friend. He had noticed her a little off as assignments were given out earlier that night, and he told himself that he was going to talk to her later. Make sure everything was fine. He had never seen her like this before and he knew something was wrong. Sara wasn't the person to open up all her problems to someone, but he wanted her to know that she could tell him anything. Talk to him about whatever was bothering her. Confide in him.

Sara nodded her head up and down quickly as to refute his question. She squinted her eyes and tried another smile. "I'm fine" She tried to assure him. She continued to nod her head. "I'm good" She said a little bit more jumpy than before. She was shaking slightly and took a step back from Nick. She figured the further away she got from him, the harder it would be for him to notice something was going on. Wrong.

"No you're not" Nick said slowly, caringly, concerned, as he took another small step toward her. He scrunched up his face slightly and just looked at his friend. He noticed her pink puffy eyes that had faded significantly since Sara had been crying. He hadn't even noticed them before, that was how slight it was, but now as he got closer, he could tell that she had been crying. At this his heart dropped and his pulse grew faster. He was worried. He knew something had happened to his friend. Something was bothering her. And he wanted to fix it.

Sara couldn't say anything as Nick encroached closer and closer upon her. All she could do was nod her head up and down at an extremely fast pace. She bit her lip to hold back her tears, to prevent from crying. She felt like she was going to burst into tears at any second. And with Nick standing right there, she felt comforted by his willingness to help her, his willingness to protect her, his intense care for her, which only made it harder for her not to cry.

"Sara" Nick asked slowly as he tried to get closer to her, ". . . Have you been crying?" Now he was sincerely worried. He looked at her with those eyes of his that make even the toughest heart melt. That warm sense of caring, of love displayed within his eyes. The way his facial complexion expressed deep concern for her and her wellbeing.

By this time tears had started to well up in Sara's eyes. She quickly nodded her head from side to side as her face turned a pinkish red color. A single tear slipped out of her eye and slid down her cheek. She quickly turned away from her friend and wiped it away, hoping desperately that he hadn't seen it. But, of course, he had.

"Sara" Nick exhaled sadly, almost apologetically. "What's going on?" He asked her again. His voice was full of warmth, comfort, and concern, and his eyes mimicked it. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

She nodded her head up and down a few times, as she wiped away another tear that had slipped down her face. "I know . . . I know" She responded quietly, her voice shaking, quivering on the verge of bursting into tears. Her heart was melting at Nick's genuine kindness. She knew all along that he would be the person she would end up telling. She just didn't want it to be this soon. However, she had underestimated just how much she was hurting and how sincerely her friends would care.

"Then, what's going on?" Nick asked calmly, soothingly as he took yet another step closer. He reached out and placed his hand on Sara's arm. She jerked backward and the tears started coming out at a steady pace now. She leaned up against the locker, and Nick came closer. She pulled away once again, full of sheer terror of men in general at that moment, even though she knew all Nick wanted to do was help. She squirmed against the locker as he closed in on her, trying to get away from him, she started shrieking and she began to cry hysterically. All she could picture was _that_ man.

"Hey, hey . . .Sara its alright" Nick tried to clam his friend down. "It's all right" He reassured her, his tone fully depicting the intense worry he was feeling.

Sara buried her head in her hands and just let herself cry. After a moment or two she realized that it was just Nick, not the man who had attacked her, and she collapsed into him. She rested her face against his chest and cried into his shirt for several minutes before looking up at him.

Nick felt his heart drop in his chest. Whatever was bothering Sara was bad. All he wanted to do was solve her problems, mend her pain, make it all go away, and just tell her everything was going to be all right. He rested his head against Sara's as he wrapped one arm around her in a hug, using the other to rub her back comfortingly. "It's alright darling" He told her as he embraced her in a hug. "Every things going to be alright"

After a few minutes of being comforted, Sara backed off her friend slightly in order to look into his eyes. She took another step backward and noticed that his light blue t-shirt was now covered in dark blue splotches from her tears. "I'm sorry" She apologized as she ran her hand over the wet spots on his chest.

"Don't worry about it" Nick told her, still completely concerned for her well being. He wasn't sure if he should ask her again what was going on with her, what was bothering her so intensely, or if he should just wait for her to open up to him when she was ready. He decided not to push her, and let her talk when she was ready.

Sara sat down on the bench behind her and wiped away the tears from her face. Nick sat down beside her and picked up her hand off the bench and took it in his. He rubbed his thumb over her hand slowly and reassuringly.

After a few minutes of silence Sara started to speak. Her voice was shaky and quivered with uncertainty, but she had to get it out. She knew she had to tell someone. "I was . . ." She began as she tried to figure out the best way to start what she was going to tell him. After realizing that there was no good way to say what she was about to admit, she continued on.

Sara grew fidgety as she sat on the bench. The pictures of that night, the attack, came back to her and she started to cry again. Nick wrapped an arm around her, and Sara continued on.

"Last night" Sara began again, ". . . I went out for a drink" Sara nodded, a sign of encouragement from herself to keep going on with her story. Nick remained silent. He just allowed Sara to say what she needed to say.

"And when I was walking out to my car . . ." Sara paused. She started to cry again and Nick rubbed her arm.

"It's all right" He reassured her, and after a second she continued.

". . . I was almost at my car, when" Sara paused again, sniffled, and then continued on. "I was attacked" She started to cry again, and without even saying the word, Nick knew what she meant.

He immediately felt his heart ripping into tiny pieces. A scorching blade stabbing at his lungs, igniting them, and making them burn. He then understood why Sara had backed away from him, shrieked as he came closer. He grew disgusted that someone would do something like that to Sara. His friend. His family. And then he grew angry. He wanted to find the son of a bitch and punch him, stab him, shoot him. But right now all he could do was comfort his friend and that's what he did.

"I was raped" Sara spoke slowly through her tears and after she had said the word, she started crying more than before. Nick just wrapped himself around Sara. Embracing her into a tight hug and holding her tight to him.

"I'm sorry, Sara. I'm sorry" He didn't know what to say to her and he felt terrible. It made him feel sick, and for a second he thought he was going to throw up. He continued to embrace his friend, reassure her that everything was going to be okay. "It'll be alright, Sara. It'll be okay." He rubbed his hand comfortingly over her back as he continued to hold her in a tight embrace. "I'm here. It's over now. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise." He told her reassuringly, "I'm here for you."


	2. Who Was That?

_**Okay, so I know that I said this story was set somewhere in season 4ish but its more like that it's the same atmosphere that was in season 4, not the actual season. Like how close the team was and stuff, and also how young everyone was. For this story, Sara never left previously, Grissom did leave, and Warrick still died.**_

Sara had told someone. She had told Nick. Of all people, she had told Nick. And of course she knew that she would eventually, but she thought that perhaps she would have told Catherine first, or maybe Wendy. Not Nick. Regardless of the fact that he was her best friend. And well, the focus of her crush for the past few years. But she had never told him that, and as far as she knew, he had no idea that she even liked him. But she did.

They were at a scene together processing and collecting evidence from a triple homicide. Nick had told Sara, pleaded with her to take some time off, but she refused to listen. She was stubborn and he accepted that. But as long as someone was with her, he felt better. He knew she would be protected and that she wouldn't be left alone. And he was with her. He would protect her.

"You know, Sar . . ." Nick started in her direction as he popped up out of a squat and made his way over to her. " . . you don't have to be here. I can handle this. I'll call in Greggo." He told her for the fifth time.

Sara shook her head to refute any implications that he was making. "No" She told his politely yet curtly. "I have to do this. I can't hide away forever. And honestly . . ." She looked up right into Nick's eyes " . . . I feel better when I'm around people." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

He nodded understandingly and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Alright, well if you need anything . . ." He trailed off as he started to walk backwards- still looking at Sara- to the area where he was taking pictures before.

Sara smiled again as she finished his sentence. "I know . . . you'll be there"

"You got it" Nick said as he turned around and finished taking pictures of the broken glass that lay all over the ground in front of him.

Just then Nick's phone rang. He picked it up after a quick glance at who it was. Greg.

"Hey Greggo, what's up?" Nick asked as he put some of his supplies back into his kit. He shifted his position to look at Sara, to check on her, and then focused back on his conversation with Greg.

"Hey" Greg began "I just finished my assault case and Catherine said to call you and see if you guys needed any help. I heard it's a triple"

"Yea it is" Nick started as he finished putting a few more things back into his metallic crime scene kit which was open on the ground next to him. "Thanks for the offer, Greggo, but we're just about finished here. Maybe just an hour or so more of work, and its like an hour drive out here as it is. Why don't you just go home early tonight, you deserve it. Tell Catherine I said hey."

"Sure thing." Greg said graciously, " . . . I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's our day off, Greg." Nick chuckled softly before continuing. "And it sounds to me like you really need it."

"You have no idea" Greg laughed back, and Nick could almost see his smile. "Alright, well then I'll see you guys in _two _days" Greg said emphasizing the two.

"Have a good day off, Greggo. Talk to you later, man." Nick said and with that he hung up. He walked over to Sara to tell her that Greg had called and that he had told him that they were almost done with their work.

"Who was that?" Sara asked as Nick approached her.

"Greg" Nick said as he finished making his way over to her. "I told him that we were almost done here."

"Good" Sara said with a nod, and just as Nick was about to turn around to go back to work, her phone rang.

She looked at it confused for a second before realizing who it was. Her face turned slightly red and Nick could tell she was getting embarrassed, so he stepped a few feet away. He took a few more pictures of various things as he waited for Sara to finish her call, and when she did she came over to him.

She continued to work as if she had never gotten a call at all, and after a few minutes Nick asked, "Who was that?"

Sara just shook he head at first but then realized that she didn't have to keep it a secret anymore. He already knew. "That was my ugh . . ." She hesitated for a second before continuing on. Whether he knew or not, the subject was still tough and embarrassing. " . . . that was my doctor's office."

Nick immediately jerked his head up and looked at her seriously and with an expression full of concern.

He felt like a complete ass for asking who had called on the phone so nonchalantly. He looked at her with eyes full of curiosity and bulging with comfort.

"Is everything alright?" He asked so quickly his words were almost merged together. He really cared for Sara and the thought of her being hurt really bothered him. It made him worried and he really just wanted to make sure she was okay.

"They actually called to tell me that they had an opening later today for an exam." Sara said slowly and unsurely. Nick understood what she meant, but she continued anyway. "You know, just to make sure everything is all right."

Nick just nodded his head up and down several times. He didn't really know what to say, but after a little bit he spoke anyway. "You want me to go with you?"

Sara jerked her head in Nick's direction. She shouldn't have been surprised. She knew how her friend was. He was the most caring, genuinely kind person she had probably ever met, and something like this was definitely not beyond his realms.

Now it was Sara who didn't know what to say. She just looked at Nick with wide eyes and he continued on. He put down his camera on the ground and walked over to Sara. "I know it's going to be hard, and I want to be there for you. I want to help you through this." He reached out gently and took hold of her right arm with his, giving her a soft and warm smile.

At this Sara almost burst into tears. Water started to build up in her eyes, but at that moment she didn't quite care. He was so nice. So unbelievably nice. Kind. Caring. Overall amazing. And not just because she had a major crush on the guy, but because it was true.

"I don't want to make you do that" Sara said with a shaky voice, knowing that she was going to start crying at any time.

"I want to." Nick said genuinely. He took another step forward and embraced her in a tight hug. "Alright?" He asked her. He knew that she wanted somebody there, that it was going to be extremely hard for her, and he wanted to do all that he could to help her no matter what.

Sara started to cry. "Okay" She said with her voice quivering. She cried into Nick's shoulder gently and he hugged her for a few minutes. "You really are the best friend anyone could ever have." Sara told him as she stepped back away from him, his arms still around her, hers still around his neck.

"Don't worry about it." Nick told her warmly as he gave her another, quick hug. "That's what friends are for."

_**Please review!**_


	3. It Was Time

_**Okay, so here's chapter 3. Please Review. It really keeps me motivated to know that somebody actually wants me to keep writing this story. Thanks! Please review **___

They sat in the doctor's office exam room. It was small and it was quiet. Sara's exam had just taken place and Nick had held her hand throughout the entire process. The doctor had left to process the kit and get the results, and now it was just Sara and Nick in the room together. Full of awkward tension at what had just occurred. Sure Nick was her best friend, but he was a guy. And it was still awkward for him to be in the room while she was having her exam, no matter how close they were.

"How are you feeling?" Nick asked after a few minutes of silence. He was still holding Sara's hand as she sat on the exam table. He didn't know if she knew that she was still holding his hand or not, but he didn't mind.

Sara shrugged her shoulders slowly and forced a quick smile. "I'm alright. That exam wasn't exactly fun, but I'm alright."

He smiled back and nodded. "That's good" He told her comfortingly. "The doctor should be back with the results soon." Nick reminded her.

Sara nodded her head at that. "I'm scared" She blurted out before she could even think not to say it. Nick just looked at her for a second with reassuring eyes that told her there was nothing to be scared of, and he was about to tell her something, but she continued anyway.

"What if something's wrong?" Sara asked flustered. She raised her hands up, using them to wave around and gesture with. "What if I have some disease or something?" She asked Nick her voice expressing the deep worry she was feeling.

Nick sighed silently at this. It was a possibility. What was he going to tell her? That she was going to be fine. That everything was going to be all right? How could he lie to her when he knew perfectly well that there was a chance she did have some disease. He didn't want to accept that possibility and neither did she, but he had to. It was a possibility that she had contracted some illness from the monster that attacked her, and as much as he wanted so badly to tell her that she didn't, that she was disease free, he couldn't, and he knew that.

"Sara" Nick started cautiously; he didn't know how to approach what he was going to say,_ hell_, he didn't even _know_ what he was going to say. "Sometimes things happen and we can't control. You can't change the fact that you were attacked. And I'm sorry, as much as I want to, I can't either. I know you're hurting right now, and so am I, Sara. I am too, because you mean a lot to me, and I don't like to see you hurt. But when something happens that you can't control . . ." Nick lifted his free hand up to gesture with, motioning toward the room and the situation Sara was currently in, " . . . you have to control what you can and learn to accept what you can't. I know that's hard, believe me I do. But we can't control what happened to you. All we can control now is how we are going to deal with the situation. You can choose to think only about the negatives, or you can stay positive. And I know that's not an answer to you're question, and I'm sorry that I can't give you one. But you are going to be okay eventually, Sara. No matter what the results come back as. You will be okay because you're strong. And I will always be here to help you with anything and everything that you need. No matter what the results are, I will help you get through this, and everything will be okay. Trust me."

Sara smiled as she looked at her friend. What he said was deep, insightful. She didn't know what to say so she just gave him a hug. Hopefully that conveyed how grateful she was to have him as a friend and how happy she was that he had come with her. Luckily she didn't have to say anything, because just then the doctor walked into the exam room.

Sara unconsciously squeezed Nick's hand tighter as the doctor approached with a file in his hand that contained the results of her tests. She was nervous, Nick could tell. And so was he. Nick squeezed Sara's hand back.

"Ms. Sidle" the man who had introduced himself to Nick as Dr. Beltin said slowly. Nick could tell that the man was reluctant in what he was going to say next, and Nick wondered if Sara had picked up on that, but he figured that she was simply too focused on the results themselves rather than the way in which they were delivered.

"Is something wrong?" Sara blurted out quickly. Nick looked at Sara to the doctor and then back to Sara before landing on the doctor again. He was anxious to find out the results of the tests and it seemed that the doctor was taking a really long time to deliver them.

At first Dr. Beltin didn't say anything. It seemed as if he didn't react at all. No words. No facial expression. No body language. For a second Nick wondered whether of not the doctor had heard Sara's question, but just then he stepped into the room more and closed the door behind him.

Nick's heart was racing and so was Sara's. She squeezed his hand even tighter and Nick reciprocated the force back. Telling her that he was there. That he was going to be there to help her.

"Let me start off by saying that you do not have any diseases" Dr. Beltin said as he walked in front of the exam table and sat down in the chair that was placed in front of it.

Sara huffed out a breath of relief followed by a smile. Nick's heart rate slowed down and he smiled back at Sara. She wasn't nearly as worried anymore, and he felt better too, but something about the way the doctor was acting didn't allow him to feel completely comfortable just yet.

"Yes" Dr. Beltin smiled, "it is good news" he said as he opened up the folder he had in his hands. "But something else came back with the tests as well. You may have already known this and it may not be caused from your attack but . . ." Dr. Beltin eyed Nick carefully before looking at Sara.

"Ms. Sidle" He continued slowly, " . . . maybe it would be best if I talked to you alone."

Nick was fine with that. This was, after all, Sara's business. If she wanted her privacy he would give it to her.

Sara immediately blurted out, "No". Dr. Beltin looked at her carefully and then back to Nick. "I want him in here."

Nick looked from Sara to Dr. Beltin wondering whether he would still be asked to leave or if he would be allowed to stay. He became worried, however, at what the doctor was going to say. She had no diseases. That was a good thing. But what was wrong?

"Okay" Dr. Beltin spoke kindly, "that's your decision. If you want him in here then he can stay."

"Thank you" Sara said as she clung onto Nick's hand, giving it a tight squeeze. "Please continue."

"Sure" Dr. Beltin started again, " . . . and like I said you may already know this, and it may not be caused from your attack"

"Okay, well what is it?" Sara asked growing more nervous as the doctor was taking way too long for her liking to tell her what he was about to tell her.

Dr. Beltin looked from Sara to Nick before looking back at Sara as he spoke "you're pregnant"

Dr. Beltin remained silent. He had a feeling that Sara didn't know she was pregnant and that she hadn't been pregnant before her attack. Meaning that the father of her baby was the man who had raped her.

Sara was stunned. At first she was just frozen and silent. Didn't know how to react or what to say. Finally she made out, "I ugh . . . no . . . I ugh wasn't pregnant before my attack."

Dr. Beltin interrupted slightly, "Are you sure? You could have been pregnant before your attack and not have even known it." He was just trying to make the situation less horrible than it really was. Maybe if he just gave her options as to who the father possibly was then the baby's father would miraculously not be the rapist anymore. It would be someone else. Someone Ms. Sidle had actually loved and wanted to have a baby with. Not the monster that took advantage of her.

Nick hoped desperately that this was the case. That Sara's baby's father was not the man who attacked her. That Sara had been pregnant before she was attacked and just didn't know. That perhaps Sara's ex-boyfriend was the father or even a one night stand. Anyone but the rapist.

"No . . .no. I ugh, I broke up with my boyfriend about five months ago and I haven't been with anyone since." Sara wiped a tear away from her eye and sniffled loudly.

Nick hung his head in disappointment and closed his eyes tightly due to the pure injustice of the situation. _This isn't fair._ He thought to himself. _Sara doesn't deserve this. The guy already took advantage of her, hurt her. But he got her pregnant too. Another burden for Sara. She's going to have to carry around this monster's child, knowing that his or her father was the one that hurt her. Knowing that it wasn't this child's fault that she was attacked and having to get over her hatred for his or her father in order to love him or her. _

He had seen cases like this all the time. Where a mother, impregnated by her rapist had to overcome strong emotions against the father in order to love her baby, even though she knew it wasn't the baby's fault, and even though she wanted so badly to be able to love her baby. She had to deal with the idea that she didn't like her own baby, even though she wanted to so badly, and she had to learn how to overcome her emotions against its father to love her own child.

Nick didn't want Sara to have to deal with that. She deserved to have a baby that she could love without having to deal with the emotions toward his or her father. She deserved that, and this monster had deprived her of that.

Nick squeezed Sara's hand tighter and for the first time since she was told she was pregnant she looked up at him. Into his warm, gentle eyes. Another tear slipped out of her eye and she just let it fall down her cheek. Nick wiped it away with his hand.

"I'm sorry" he told her as he leaned in to give her a hug. She fell into his arms and simply rested her head on his shoulder.

She didn't say anything, but she didn't have to. She just let herself be comforted by her friend for a while before recalling the words he had spoken to her earlier. _You are going to be okay eventually, Sara._ And thinking of these words she felt better.

Sure, she was going to have a baby. And yea she wasn't planning on having a kid for at least a few more years, but like Nick had said before, there are just some things that people can't control. The only things they can control are how they deal with the situation.

Yes. She was angry. Angry that the rapist was her baby's father, but not angry that she was pregnant. She couldn't take her anger out on an innocent child, _her_ innocent child, just because of what his or her father did to her. This baby deserved a happy life, and she wasn't going to let her emotions about his or her father get in the way of loving this baby. After all, it wasn't just his baby. It was hers to.

"Don't be" Sara responded to Nick's apology a few minutes later. She hugged her friend and looked into his eyes with a smile. "I'm not going to let any emotions about his or her father get in the way of my love for this baby" she said as she looked down at her stomach. "I'm pregnant. I'm going to have a baby. I should be happy right?" Sara said with a genuine smile. "I'm mean it's _my _baby"

Nick was relieved that Sara was not going to have to go through the process he had seen many women go through before on the job, and he smiled back greatly. "Absolutely"

He reassured her as he gave her another hug. "You're right"

Nick admired the way Sara had reacted to the news that she was pregnant. She was, of course, disappointed and a little confused, perhaps angry, but she was actually happy too. Happy that she was going to have a baby. She had been able to put aside all her emotions toward his or her father and was able to just focus on the reality that she was going to have a baby. It was these qualities of character, the tiny little things that drove his crush for Sara. Of course he had never told her. He was always scared that it would ruin their friendship. They have such a strong friendship that he didn't want to risk it if they had ever actually gone out and broken up. He told himself that he was happy to have Sara in his life as a friend than not at all, and he had stuck with that for the past few years. But maybe it was time to tell her the truth. Maybe it was time to be upfront about his feeling. Tell her how he actually felt. It was time.

_**Thanks for reading! Please review **____** It really helps keep me motivated to write.**_


	4. The One That Got Away

**Please, please, please, please review. I'm not trying to sound desperate but I would really appreciate some more reviews. Thanks for reading!**

Sara and Nick had left the doctor's office and gotten into the car. Nick was driving and Sara sat in the passenger's seat with a beaming smile. Nick wanted so badly to tell her how much he loved that smile and how much he loved her. How long he had loved her. But now just didn't seem like the right time. Sara was so happy about the news she had just gotten. She was pregnant and she was thrilled. Now didn't seem like the time to drop something like this on her. What was he supposed to say, oh by the way Sara I've been madly in love with you for the past five years. He didn't want to mess with the happiness she was feeling right now by springing that on her. He didn't want to give her a whole mess she would have to figure out. Not now. He would have to find the right time to tell her and it would have to be soon.

Sara's smile was quickly diminishing as she buckled up her seat belt and faced forward. She had made another appointment to go back for a sonogram to see her baby for the first time, but that was in a couple of weeks. She was excited, but she was still shocked. Nonetheless, Nick could tell she was happy, but something was up with her too. Something she hadn't expressed at the doctor's office.

Nick looked over at Sara as he pulled out of the parking lot and couldn't help but wonder about her expression. Sara saw him looking at her out of the corner of her eye and looked back at him herself with a widening smile. "I just can't believe it"

"It's shocking" Nick admitted with his kind, warm tone. He put his blinker on, looked for on coming traffic and pulled out of the parking lot. He was heading to Sara's house. He had picked her up to go to the appointment, telling her that he would drive her there and then drop her off after.

"Wow" Sara uttered softly. "I mean . . ." she paused for a brief second before looking back at her friend. " . . . as weird as it may sound coming from me, I always wanted to have kids. Granted not right now . . ." she trailed off for a second before continuing, " . . . and not under these circumstances" she spoke bitterly with a tinge of anger and resentment, "and not with that monster as the father" Sara added even more disgusted than before, " . . .but I am still going to love this child. I am"

Nick nodded at his friend's explanation and looked at her briefly every few second before having to look back at the road. "I'm glad, Sara" He said as he took a right down a street a few miles away from Sara's place, "I'm really glad that can look beyond the emotions toward that bastard" He took a quick left down another side street before continuing on, "I'm happy for you, Sara. You deserve to be happy"

"Thanks Nicky" Sara said as she placed a hand on her stomach. "I really am happy about this baby." She looked up at her friend and then back down at her stomach. "I mean obviously I don't want that monster to be my baby's father, but I'm not going to focus on that, because when I think about that I only get angry. I have to love me baby for who he or she is, and not focus on how much I hate his or her father, right?" Sara asked now sounding completely unsure, the opposite from her expression in the doctor's office. She doubted herself. Wondering if what she thought was actually true. Wondering if she would actually be able to do what she was saying. And honestly, she was scared. Scared she wouldn't be able to hold back her emotions toward her baby's father. Scared that she would unconsciously blame her baby for what his or her father did. Scared of how her baby would turn out. Scared of raising a baby . . .alone.

Nick could tell that his friend doubted herself, and he quickly figured out that that was what her new facial expression conveyed. Nick feared that Sara would ask herself these questions, but he knew that she would be a great mom. He knew that she would love her baby no matter what, and that she would get over any doubtful emotions soon enough.

"Sara" Nick began as he turned onto her street, "you're going to be a great mom. These doubts won't last long" He told her as he pulled into her driveway. "You will love your baby, I know you will. There's no reason to worry." He told her kindly as he put the car in park and turned it off.

"You're right" Sara said as she undid her own seatbelt. She opened up the passenger side door and stepped out. "You wanna come in?" Sara said as she leaned back into the car. She picked her bag up off the passenger seat and put it over her shoulder.

Nick wasn't sure if he should or not. He wanted to give Sara sometime alone to think things over, to really let things settle in. But then again, Sara had told him earlier that day that she felt better when she was around people. He decided to go in. "What? And miss an opportunity to hang out with my best friend?" Nick said as he unbuckled his own seat belt and stepped out of the car. He smiled brightly and walked with Sara toward her front door.

"I didn't think so" Sara smiled back at her friend. Looking him directly in his eyes. Those eyes. Those deep, brown, warm eyes. Those comforting eyes. Reassuring. Pleasant. Kind. She loved those eyes. Her heart jumped as he reached out and put a hand on her back as she opened up her door. She paused for a quick second at his touch, and hoped he hadn't noticed.

"I can't promise there will be any good food" Sara said as she swung the door open to her living room. "I haven't gone shopping in days"

Nick chuckled as he walked in behind her closing the door.

"But I do have beer" Sara said with a smile as she walked over to the fridge and took two out.

Nick cleared his throat. "Un, ughh" He said softly as he took the beers out of her hand and put them back in the fridge. "None for you" He reminded her.

Sara gasped. "Oh, I forgot. Wow." She said as she placed a hand on her stomach. "I guess there are a lot of things I'm going to have to get used to." She said with a smile as she took out a water bottle for herself. She motioned toward her friend confused. "Just cuz I can't have one, doesn't mean that you can't." Sara said slowly.

Nick shook his head from side to side, "No thanks" He said as he accepted a water from Sara. "I'm not going to sit here and drink when you can't."

Sara was touched by his kindness. He was so full of chivalry. Such a gentleman. She loved him so much and she had never even told him. That's what was the most annoying part. She could tell him anything, anything at all, except about how she felt for him. She smiled at him. How she loved his character, his personality. His face. His wonderfully chiseled features. His strong Texas drawl. His charm. "I guess that's two waters then" She laughed as she handed him one and they walked over to the couch.

They sat there in comfortable silence for several minutes before either spoke. Sara took a sip of her water before placing it on the table in front of her. She sighed happily as she placed a hand on her stomach.

Nick smiled at her and she smiled back before looking down at her stomach. "I guess I just thought I wasn't ever going to have a kid, you know? I just, well, I'm not in any serious relationship, I don't even have a boyfriend." She laughed at that sarcastically before continuing, "So I mean I guess I just kinda thought that I'd never get married, and well, never have a child." She glanced quickly at her friend before talking, "I know that it probably sounds weird coming from me of all people" Sara said as she smiled, "But I always wanted kids, eventually. I mean, well, granted not under theses circumstances or with that bastard as the father, but . . ." Sara's voice trailed off and she shrugged as she looked at Nick. She took another sip of water and placed it back on the table.

Nick nodded and took a sip of his water as well before speaking. "You're going to be a great mom, Sara. You deserve to be happy"

"Thanks, Nicky." Sara said as she leaned up against him on the couch. Not an unusually position for the two of them. They had movie nights all the time and Sara more times than not leaned up against his chest during them. They were friends, and it was cool. It was normal for the both of them.

"What about you?" She continued on as she lay against Nick. She was curious. She always knew Nick as a lady's man. But she knew he was a great guy. A guy who deserved to be happy as well. She knew he always wanted to settle down, maybe start a family sometime, but she guessed he just hadn't met the right girl yet. And how badly she wanted that girl to be her.

"Hmmm?" Nick questioned, "what's that?" He asked to what she was referring to.

Sara had a feeling he knew what she meant by the question but was just pretending he didn't. Touchy topic. What a typical guy, she thought to herself as she clarified herself. "Marriage. Kids." She said softly. All she could think about was him saying that he loved her. Wanted her to carry his children. Wanted to live happily ever after together. But she had never told him how she felt, so how could he have possibly known? She thought to herself.

Nick didn't really know how to answer this question. Of course he wanted to get married someday and have children. He'd always wanted kids of his own, he just hadn't found the right person to settle down with yet. Wrong. He had found her. Found her five years ago. He just hadn't told her yet.

Nick wanted this to be the moment where he came out with the truth. Just blurted out that he loved Sara and that he wanted to marry her, live together, and have a family with her. But he didn't. "Well, ugh, yea." He said slowly, hesitantly. "Someday. I guess I just haven't found the right person yet." He lied.

Nick's heart raced. All he wanted to do was tell her. Why couldn't he? For some reason he just couldn't tell her. He didn't know how. He had never had trouble telling a girl that he liked her before, why was now so different. He wanted so badly to just blurt it out. Just get it out. But something was holding him back. It was like his body just didn't want to allow him to tell her.

Sara nodded. Inside she was disappointed. Why couldn't she just tell him. She had no idea. Nick was like no guy she had ever dealt with before, not that she had much experience. But Nicky was different.

"I knew you were going to say that" Sara chuckled as she looked into Nick's eyes. He looked down into hers, at her head resting on his chest, and smiled. "Oh, shut up Sara." He joked with her.

Nick couldn't help but think of how nice it would be for Sara to be lying on his chest as his girlfriend. He could just lean down and kiss her. Touch her. Smile at her. And she would smile back. Kiss him back. They could lay there for hours just entangled within one another, cuddled together, happy. He wanted that to be the situation, and for a moment he just let himself pretend.

The two talked for hours, just sitting on Sara's couch. They laughed and shared stories and talked about their childhoods. The confided in one another and informed each other of embarrassing encounters. They told each other pretty much everything.

Sara finished laughing at one of Nick's stories and decided to comment. The story was about Nick's prom. Something he and his buddies did at the dance, and it had made Sara laugh.

"I bet you've always gotten every girl that you've ever wanted." Sara said with a smile. By Nick's nature and his good looks she assumed that any girl he liked would have been happy to give him a chance. She was still leaned up against him and she smiled at his beautiful face.

Nick didn't know what to say, so at first he just smiled back at her. Truth was, he had gotten every girl he had every wanted. All except one. "Actually" Nick said as he looked into Sara's eyes. "There was one that I never got. The one that got away."

**Please review! Chapter 5 will be up soon!**


	5. It Was You

**Thanks for the reviews! Please continue to read! I have a pretty good idea of where I'm taking this story already, so please continue to read and review. Thanks!**

"Oh yea" Sara asked with a smirk, "and who would that be?" She grinned at him as she sat up a bit.

Here it was. His chance to tell her the truth. The time he had been looking for. The time to tell her. You. He thought to himself. He said it over and over again in his head. You. You. You. You. He just couldn't say it out loud.

He looked into Sara's bright eyes and smiled. H e wanted to say it so badly. Get it off his chest. He was going to do it. He could feel it. This time he was actually going to do it.

"Well," He started nervously, "its, ugh…. Well," He said slowly and reluctantly, "its y-" He was just about to say it. Really about to say it when his phone went off. He was going to ignore it. Just tell her that he loved her, but then Sara said, "you gunna get that?"

He pulled his phone out of his pocket hesitantly. He didn't want to answer it, but he couldn't just blurt what he was going to say out. "Sorry, hold on" He told her quickly as he glanced at his phone to see who was calling. He was slightly angry until he saw the name.

"Hey babe," He said with a smile. Sara was immediately confused. _We've been talking for hours and he didn't even tell me he had a girlfriend? _Sara thought to herself. _Here I am literally lying all over him, thinking that maybe I'm getting somewhere. What an idiot I am._

"What's going on, hun?" Nick asked delightedly. "I'm so glad that you called." He looked at Sara who looked at him confused. She didn't seem mad, but she was definitely disappointed.

"That's great, sweetheart" He said as he listened to the person on the other end of the line. "Right, right" He continued. _I can't believe this._ Sara thought to herself.

"Yea, I'll see you then. Okay sweetie. I love you." Nick said as he hung up the phone. He put it back in his pocket, a smile on his face. Then he looked at Sara.

She put on a fake smile. "So Nick" Sara said with a smirk, "you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend." It was not easy for her to put a smile on and even harder to pretend to be happy that the man she was desperately in love with had a girlfriend.

"What. No, no." Nick said quickly. Then he laughed and smiled back at Sara. "That wasn't my girlfriend. I don't have one." He laughed again, "That was my niece."

Sara was completely embarrassed. She smiled and then began to laugh. "Sorry, Nick. I thought it was your girlfriend." Sara laughed again at the thought.

"It's alright" Nick said as he laughed with her. "She was just calling to tell me how she did in her science fair. I told her to call me when she found out."

"Well, that's nice" Sara said. She loved the way Nick cared for people. Loved the way he loved others. He genuinely cared for people. And she loved that about him.

Nick just nodded as he smiled at Sara. "Yea" He said softly. He couldn't stop looking at her beautiful eyes. Her lips that he wanted so badly to kiss.

"You really care about her, don't you?" Sara asked as she looked up into his beautiful eyes.

Nick nodded up and down. "Yea" He said in his charming Texas accent. "I really do. I love her." Nick looked at Sara with a smile and he gestured with his hands. "I really would like to see her more than I do, but they live in Texas, and I live here. I try to get home as much as I can but, well, you know how that works out." Nick smiled at Sara showing off his near perfect teeth.

"Yea, I know what you mean." Sara admitted, "I know how consuming work can be sometimes.

"Sometimes" Nick asked with a smile. They both knew that work was very consuming pretty much all the time.

"Alright" Sara agreed, "all the time"

They both laughed at that and then remained silent for a few minutes just sitting there with one another.

"You miss Texas?" Sara asked after a second or two, "your family there?" Sara wondered just how big Nick's family was. She knew he had a lot of brothers and sisters but not how many exactly.

Nick nodded, "Yea, I do." He told her softly, "We're all really close so it was kinda hard for everyone when I left. Hard for me too."

"How many brothers and sisters do you have? I know you have a lot, right." Sara asked. She was curious. Nick was a caring, sociable person. It had to come from somewhere.

"Yea" Nick started, "I have five sisters and a brother."

"Wow" Sara was surprised. She thought maybe he'd have 3 or four siblings, not six.

"You were probably never lonely"

Nick chuckled at that. "No, no. I wasn't" He smiled at her. _Those lips. That smile._ He thought to himself. _Although I am kinda lonely now. Maybe you can help with that._ He thought to himself again. _No, stop it._

"They all have kids?" Sara asked again. She did care about him, and his family, and she did want to know, but she _did_ like hearing that Texas accent too. He could talk all day long about absolutely nothing and she would listen just to hear that sweet charm of his.

"No" Nick started again, "most of them do, though. Ughh, my brother, Kevin, has two girls, Leah and Olivia, Jen's got two boys and a girl, Scott, Tim, and Emma, that's who called" Nick added with a quick glance to Sara before continuing. "and then Julia's got a boy and a girl, Ethan and Katie, Lizzy has two boys and two girls, Drew, Bryan, Alicia, and Kaylee, my sister Michelle is pregnant with her first, and my sister Andrea doesn't have any kids yet. She's married though." Nick chuckled sarcastically for a second, "I'm the only one that's not, and believe me" He said rolling his eyes, "my parents are always on me for that."

"Wow" Sara said slowly, elongating the word. "You have eleven nieces and nephews?" Sara couldn't believe it.

Nick nodded nonchalantly. "Yea" He took a sip of his water before placing it on the table again, "and one on the way."

"Wow" Sara said again, she smiled at him as she spoke. "Holidays must be fun" She said in a sing song voice.

Nick nodded with a smile back to her. "Very" He assured her.

"So you're the baby, right?" Sara asked. She already knew that Nick was the youngest of all his siblings. She just wanted to here him say it. She loved that voice of his.

"That would be me" Nick said with another smile. "There's a twelve year age difference between my brother and I" Nick told her, "He's the oldest."

"So you were what-"Sara paused quickly and thought to herself. "like ten when your first niece was born?" She was exaggerating, trying to make a joke. Nick knew this, but she wasn't that far off.

"Twelve" Nick told her with a smile. He knew she was trying to exaggerate the situation and it made it funny that she was actually kinda almost right. Truth was, he was only twelve when Leah was born. Most people thought that weird-funny even. Odd. Nick thought it was cool. He was always close to his nieces and nephews and he loved that. Sara could tell how much Nick adored his nieces and nephews and she loved that about him. She loved _him._ Period.

Sara just looked Nick in the eyes for a second before displaying a smirk. The two burst out laughing. They just laughed for a few minutes together. Simply laughing, having fun.

Nick loved her laugh. He loved _her. _He hadn't told her. He was about to tell her, he really was. He was actually going to tell her this time. Then the phone had rung. Typical.

But he still hadn't told her. There he sat in Sara's living room. On her couch. Her lying on his chest. Nothing. He hadn't even told her. But he had to. It was killing him that he hadn't told her. He had to get it off his chest.

That's when Sara went to sit up. She leaned her hand on Nick's chest, propping herself up, and he loved it. He watched her get up off the couch and walk to the kitchen. Watched the way her hips swayed back and forth, the way she brushed some hair behind her ear. He loved her. Loved everything about her. He was going to explode if he didn't tell her.

Sara walked to the fridge and pulled out another bottle of water. She motioned to Nick with one and he politely declined. His was still half full.

She walked back over to the couch and plopped down next to her best friend. She was glad he was there. She liked being around people lately, and being around him was especially nice. They usually hung out after work, on the weekends. They hung out a lot, and she had to think about why she hadn't told him earlier about her feelings for him. She loved him. She had to tell him.

Nick lifted his arm up so that Sara could lean down on his chest like she had been doing before, and then closed it around her. _Why was this so hard?_ This was what he wanted. To be sitting with Sara on a couch. Her lying against him. But it was so hard for her to be doing this, when she wasn't his girlfriend. He loved her so much and it was hard to have her lean against him as just friends because he wanted more than that. Nonetheless, he closed his arm around her, resting his arm across her body. Sara closed her eyes and sighed softly.

Nick just looked down at her. Now was his time. This was his chance. He had to tell her.

"Sara" Nick said as he cleared his throat. She fluttered open her eyes and a smile spread across her face.

"What's up, Nicky?" She asked softly. He loved when she called him that.

"I, ugh… I've got to tell you something." He said in a more serious tone. He was still light-hearted but his voice clearly conveyed that he wasn't fooling around.

"Oh yea?" Sara started "what would that be?"

He was nervous. Was he actually going to tell her this time. After all this time he was actually going to let her know how he felt about her.

He cleared his throat again and shifted in his position on the couch. "I ugh . . . it's about what we were talking about before" He hoped that she remembered what they were talking about before they were interrupted with the phone call. It was already awkward enough, he didn't want to make it more awkward by having to describe what they were talking about before.

"Oh" Sara asked in a voice that sounded almost like a question, "Oh" She said again as she realized what he was talking about. "The one that got away?"

"Yea" He spat out quickly as he nodded up and down. His hands were sweating and his face was turning red.

"Well, you don't have to tell me about that if you don't want" Sara assured him, "I was just kidding around with you"

"No" Nick exclaimed almost as quickly as before. "No, I want to" Nick swallowed hard. He rubbed his hands together and looked into Sara's eyes. _It's time._ He told himself.

"Alright" Sara said a bit confused by Nick's behavior. She too shifted in her position to have a better viewing of her friend. The both faced each other now. It was perfect.

Nick swallowed again before placing a hand on the side of Sara's face. He was looking right into her beautiful eyes. He remained silent for a second as his heart rate sped up. Sara's did too. She was surprised by Nick's touch. Her heart rate sped up in anticipation of what he was going to say. _No it couldn't be._ She thought to herself.

Here it was. The truth. Nick moved in closer to Sara's face until their lips were almost touching. His hand was still positioned on her face, and he gazed longingly into her eyes. "It was you"


	6. I'll Take That As A Yes

_**I hope you all liked that last chapter! Please continue reading! Reviews are appreciated! Thanks so much!**_

_What?_ That was the first thing that ran through her mind. _What? What did he just say? No. He didn't just say that. Did he?_ Sara was confused and overwhelmed. She had waited so long for him to say that, dreamed about it for years, and now he may have actually said it. It seemed do surreal. So dream like. She wanted it to be true so badly. Didn't want to wake up from this dream. Wanted so much for this to be real life. _Is it?_ She thought to herself.

She didn't know how to react. She wanted to assure that he had actually said what he had just said before she spilled her beans as well. It could just be that she was tried, and after a long day of lying with Nick on the couch, she was imagining things. Things she wanted to happen so badly, but weren't. She really didn't know if it was actually happening or not.

Sara gulped loudly as she looked intently into Nick's adoring eyes. She had to make sure. "What did you just say?"

_Great. That's just great. I finally let everything out and she's disappointed. She doesn't like me that way. This was a mistake._ Nick thought to himself, assuming that Sara's question implied as much. She was surprised and taken aback, and Nick assumed uncomfortable.

"I said" Nick paused for a second wondering if this was all a mistake. _No._ He said to himself. _It's too late now._

"I said that it was you, Sara. The one that got away." He looked into her eyes and brushed some hair out of her face with his hand. "I love you. I have for five years" He was nervous about how she would react, but he was full of relief as well. It was finally off his shoulders. He had told her, and he felt much better now.

Sara's smile stretched across her entire face. He had said it. And he meant it. Her dream was coming true. It was finally happening. "Are you kidding?" She asked with her voice bursting with joy.

At first Nick though she was asking him in a manner that suggested that she thought it was ridiculous that he liked her, and that she had no interest in him that way. That maybe she was a bit angry at him for saying what he did because it would cause a bout of awkwardness between them from now on. That she was overwhelmed with the fact that his outburst would cost them the great friendship that they had. The amazing, playful, even flirty relationship they had had for years. But then he realized he was wrong.

Sara leaned in toward Nick, and catching her motive, Nick completed the kiss. They locked lips for several seconds before pulling away. Nick realized that Sara had the same feelings toward him that he had for her, and he was overjoyed with excitement. He was so happy that this might actually play out. Him and Sara. Together. In real life.

"I've loved you for so long" Sara told him as they pulled apart from their kiss. Her eyes remained closed, as did his, and she rested her forehead up against his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hung them loosely there. "I just didn't know how to tell you."

Nick wrapped his arms around Sara's back, pulling her tighter against him. "I wanted to tell you so badly. Every day I would say, this is the day. I'm going to tell her today. But then . . ." Nick's voice trailed off as he and Sara gazed into each other's eyes, " . . . but then it was like my body just –" Sara cut Nick off mid sentence.

" . . . wouldn't let you say it?" Sara asked already knowing the answer. She knew exactly how that felt. The same thing had happened to her for the past five years.

Nick smiled at this and so did Sara. "Yea" He nodded slowly, "Yea" He repeated in his charming drawl.

Sara tightened her grasp around Nick's neck. "Same thing happened to me" She said softly, almost in a whisper.

Nick gazed into Sara's eyes before leaning in to give her another kiss. This time it lasted longer. Several minutes went by, and the kiss deepened. Their first kiss had been simple, gentle. This one was different.

Several minutes into the kiss, Nick parted through Sara's lips with his tongue. The kiss grew deeper, more intense, and things started to heat up. Nick wrapped his arms around Sara's shoulders, pulling her in closer to him, as she tightened her hold around his neck.

Nick's hands moved up and down Sara's back, and soon hers were making their way through his short, brown hair.

After a few more minutes, they pulled apart again. They didn't say anything. They didn't have to. They just smiled at one another, each resting their head against the others.

"I can't believe I didn't tell you sooner" Nick told her gently, quietly. He brushed another strand of hair out of her face and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "I had no idea that you felt the same way" He gave her another short kiss before looking into her eyes.

Sara chuckled slightly at that remark. "Yea" She laughed, "I was only madly in love with you for the last five years." She let him kiss her again before continuing. She ran her hand through his hair and then leaned up against his chest. "I never thought you'd ever like a girl like me"

Nick leaned in to face Sara and looked down into her eyes. "You're the only one I've ever felt like this about"

Hearing this Sara turned around to face Nick as well, placing her hands on his chest and leaning in to kiss him. By now Nick was practically lying on the couch and Sara was pretty much on top of him. She hovered above his face for a second, simply just enjoying the view, before leaning down to kiss him. Nick leaned in, completing the connection, and the two were lost in a deep kiss for several minutes. When they pulled back apart, they both displayed great smiles stretching the length of their faces.

_I can't believe this. _Nick thought to himself. _After all these years of wondering, hoping, dreaming, it's finally happening. I just kissed Sara. And she kissed me back. _

"I'm mad at myself that I didn't tell you sooner" Nick admitted to her as she lay on top of him, her head resting on his chest. "We missed out on so much time." Nick said as he rested his arms on top of Sara's back. Wrapping it around her and holding her tight. "We both liked each other for so long . . . if I had just told you, we could have started this years ago"

Sara picked her head up off Nick's chest. "Yea, you're right" She said as she kissed him on the mouth. His tongue entering her mouth and hers entering his. The kiss deepened and they intertwined themselves. They rolled over so that Sara was on the bottom, and then quickly rolled back in the passion of the kiss.

They pulled apart reluctantly to take a breath and they gazed directly into one another's eyes, not wanting to look away. "But we have each other now" Nick told her happily, "and that's all that matters" He said quietly before locking his lips once again with Sara.

Sara lay on Nick, whose arms were wrapped around her back. The kissed passionately and lovingly for several minutes. The kiss deepened and things were getting hot, as Sara slipped her hand up underneath Nick's t-shirt, running them across his rock solid abs. How long she had wanted to do that. She had seen him in the locker room shirtless countless times, and each one she had always fantasized about running her hands over his muscular chest and stomach.

Their lips were still locked together, but Nick could feel Sara rubbing her hands over his stomach, his chest. Sara pulled apart from his lips for a split second, just long enough to reposition her lips on his tight abs. She kissed his stomach, moving up to his chest giving him quick little pecks as she continued to roam his chest with her hands. He liked it. Liked it a lot.

Nick secretly vowed not to go beyond making out. Contrary to what his reputation may suggest, he wasn't that kind of guy. He didn't have sex on the first date. He didn't think it was right. He liked to get to know a person first, actually love them.

And Sara . . . Sara was different than any girl he had ever been with. Sure, he had been with his share of women, but Sara was special. He loved her. Really loved her. He wanted to do things right, didn't want to rush things.

Not that he thought Sara was the type of girl to go all the way on a first date, or well, in this circumstance, the first time of learning that someone likes you as much as you like them. He knew she wasn't like that, and he knew she wasn't looking for anything more than making out right now.

Sara continued to kiss Nick's chest until he leaned up, shifting his position. She picked up her lips off his chest and looked at him quickly with a smile. Nick moved in and kissed her on the lips, putting one hand on either side of her face.

"I really love you" He said softly in between kisses. "Have for a long time"

Sara kissed him back, running her hands through his soft brown hair. "I love you too, Nicky."

They continued to kiss for a while longer. Simply sitting on the couch, wrapped in each other's arms, kissing. No clothing was removed, and nor did they want it to be. Not yet any way. It was too soon. Sure, they loved each other. Had for five years. But they weren't going to rush things. They didn't want to move too fast. Right now, they just wanted to enjoy the moment. Get to know each other in a different way, a new perspective. Get used to seeing each other in a romantic way, not just in a friendship manner any more.

After a half hour or so of simply kissing one another, they pulled apart. They needed to talk. They both knew that. Thankfully, it wasn't going to be awkward. They both liked each other. And now they both knew that they liked each other. The hard part was over.

"This is nice" Sara said as she lay up against Nick's chest, resting her head on his solid abs, her hand rubbing circles on his chest.

"Sure is" Nick agreed as he wrapped his arm around Sara comfortingly. He rubbed his hand on her arm, and it made her heart race.

"So what happens now?" Sara asked softly. She hoped to continue this. Not just kissing, making out. But this. This kind of relationship. She really loved Nick.

"Well" Nick began matter of factly, "I'd like to continue on with this relationship. Develop it more. Get to know each other romantically. Go out on a date" Nick looked down at Sara for a second as he continued to rub her arm with his hand. "That's if you want to, I mean" He added slowly, unsurely. He really loved Sara, and he wanted to be with her.

"I want to" Sara nodded quickly. "I like this. I like it a lot" She told him as she glanced up into his eyes.

"Good" Nick started, "that's great." He positioned himself so he could look right into Sara's eyes. "because I don't know if I'd be able to stop seeing you"

This made Sara's heart melt. She couldn't believe that this was actually happening. She was lying on a couch with Nick Stokes. They had made out. They were talking about developing a romantic relationship. It was all just so surreal to her. Sara didn't respond to Nick's remark with words, but she was pretty sure that she got her point across with the kiss she placed on his lips.

"What are you doing tomorrow night?" Nick asked Sara slowly, charmingly. His accent was thick and she loved that. He smiled at her and his eyes were beaming with joy.

"Are you asking me out on a date Mr. Stokes?" Sara asked seductively. She twisted her body so that she was now, once again, lying on top of Nick, her face hovering above his.

"I believe I am, Ms. Sidle" Nick said as he reached up to put one hand on Sara's cheek. "Are you interested?" Now Nick was the one talking seductively.

Sara simply starred into his eyes for a few second without responding. She leaned in and he completed the kiss. It deepened and they were lip locked for several minutes. When they pulled apart, she gave him another quick peck on the lips.

"I'll take that as a yes" Nick said as he leaned in and kissed Sara. The two were lost in a passionate kiss for the next several minutes. They twisted and turned on the couch in the heat of their kiss, before resuming to their original positions, continuing the kiss.

He had finally told her.


	7. I'll Tell Him Tomorrow

Thanks for all the reviews! Please continue to read and review!

Sara walked Nick to the door about an hour later. They has spent that time kissing on the couch, making out, and simply talking to one another. They both wanted to get some sleep before their next shift and Nick certainly wasn't going to stay at Sara's that night, even though neither one of them wanted him to leave.

"I'm glad you told me" Sara said as she kissed Nick. Nick stokes opened her door and kissed her back. "Me too"

"Do you really have to go?" Sara asked with a smile. She wasn't one to ever dote on a guy, but somehow this was different. She had only found out that Nick liked her a few hours ago, and she already didn't want him go. She hadn't even gotten that attached to some of the people that she had dated in the past. But this time was different.

"No" Nick said as he smiled. "I don't have to. I don't want to. But I should" Nick sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow though"

"Tomorrow!" Sara almost shouted. "Tomorrow! What abiout tomorrow! I didn't even think of it! I didn't even realize! What about the team! What about everyone else! What abouy Grissom? What is he going to think? We can't tell them!"

"Wooooohhh" Nick smiled. "Calm down" H elaughed as Sara ran a hand through her hair. "We don't have to tell them. Not now anyway. We can wait a little while. It'll be fine."

Sara nodded. Why did it siound so simple when he said it? How could he make her feel so not crazy? She smiled at him. "Your right" Sara kissed him. "Let's wait a little, a few days, and then tell them"

"Whatever you want, Sara" Nick said. "But, I'm sure they won't be disappointed or anything. I mean, why would they?"

"I don't know" Sara said. "I just, don't want to hurt anyone. I don't want the team to be awkward, you know, because of us."

Nick shook his head. "It won't. Don't worry about it."

Sara smiled again. "I believe you." Sara kissed Nick on the lips and then he kissed her back. They kissed for a few minutes, Sara shioviung her tongue in Nick's mouth, and Nick shoving his in Sara's. Sara placed her hand on Nick's chest, and Nick wrapped his hands around Sara;s waist. A few minutes later, they pulled apart and then kissed again quickly. "I have to go" Nick said. Sara nodded. "Alright" She sighed.

Sara gave Nick another peck on the cheek and he kissed her again too. "I'll see you tomorrow"

Sara nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow"

Nick walked halfway down Sara's driveway and then turned around to look at Sara who was still looking at him in the dorrwat. "And get some sleep, we have a double coming up"

"You too, good night" Sara said. She loved the way that he cared about her and her getting enough sleep. Although she didn't think she was going to be able to sleep tonight.

"Good night" Nick nodded. And with that he walked down to his car, got in, looked to Sara, wave and then drove away. Sara smiled and then walked into the house. She sta down on the couch and closed her eyes. She felt like a teenager that had just gotten asked out by her crush. She laid down on the couch and felt like dquealing. She had kissed Nick. Nick had told her that he liked her. Why had she waited so long to tell him? She could have told him years ago. But Sara didn't really get annoyed at herself because her feelings for Nick had come out when he had told her that he liked her.

Sara sat and thought about what had happened. Nick had told her his feelings for her. She had told Nick her feeling that she had for him that she wanted to tell him for years. Nick had kissed her. They had made out. They talked. They were going to start a relationship. Sara was so excited. She was finally going to have the relationship with Nick that she had wanted to have with him for a while. And rthn she thought of something else. She was pregnant.

How had she forgotten? Had she simply got lost within the excitement of realizing Nick's feelings for her? She didn't know how she had forgotten but she had. And now it was all she could really think about. How was she supposed to start a relationship with Nick when she was pregnant? Sara sighed. She felt like crying. It has seemed as if she was finally going to have a relationship with Nick, and now it dind;'t seem like she was going to afterall. She had to take care of her baby. That's who she ahd to take care of right now. She couldn't focus on Nick.

Sara rubbed her eyes with her hands and wondered if Nick had forgotten too. Prpoabably. Sara thought. Why wiould he have kissed me if he remembered? Sara wasn;t sure why Nick has told her his feelings for her tonight. She has just found out she was pregnant. Maybe he had forgotten too. Or, maybe he was excirted for her. Maybe he wanted to help her. No. Sara thought. That can't be it. Why would he want to be dragged into this? Sar couldnb;t figure out if Nick had told her because he wanted to help her, or because he was simply caught up in the moment too. But why would he want to start a relationship wth a pregnant woman? Sara thought to herself. Its not even the father of her baby. Sara sighed.

I have to talk to him. Sara thought. I have to see why he told me his feelings for me. There she went again, overanalyzing everything. Maybe he just told me because ehe likes me. Sara thought. Maybe he doesn't think that I'll force him into this. Maybe he didn't think I had feelings for him too. But I do. I do like him, a lot. And that's why I can't put him in this situation. I don't want to make hgim date me. I know he'll date me just because I'm pregnant and he thinks I need help, but I don't want to make him do that. He can meet someone else, and have kids of his own. He doesn't have to help with mine. Sara sighed again and a tear slid down her cheek. Sara looked at her phone and considered calling Nick and telling him that she couldn't be in a relationship with him right now, but she figured she could just tell him tomorrow.

Sara got up and went into her bedroom. A few minutes ago she didn't think she was going to be able to sleep because she was going to be so happy. Now, she didn't think she was going to be able to sleep because she would be trying to figure out the best totell him that they coulnd;t be in a relationship. Another tear fell down her face and she wiped it away as she thought about telling Nick tomorrow jnbvkjvfxd


End file.
